Improvement in door-chains



izkhmued T. F. STEVENSON. Door-Chain.

Patented April 23, 1878.

m wad/521% UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

THOMAS F. STEVENSON, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN DOOR-CHAlNS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 202,885, dated April 23, 1878; application filed March 21, 1678.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS F. STEVENSON, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Door Checks or Safety-Chains, of which the following is a specification:

Chains have been attached to the 'casin g or stationary door, and provided with a head that is entered into a slide upon the moving door, which form a check or safety-chain to limit the movement of the door and prevent its being opened beyond a certain distance.

To detach the moving end of the chain the door has to be closed, or nearly so, and then the chain is allowed to hang down, but is liable to mar the wood-work or the wall, and to scratch and disfigure the surface by swingin g from its attaching-eye.

My improvement is for the purpose of providing a case that holds the chain and prevents the same hanging loosely.

Chains have been made with a case and a spring that draws the chain into the case; but the same are cumbersome, and often diflicult to apply upon a door or casin g, because such case has to occupy a horizontal position, and frequently there is not room upon the casing, or else the moldings have to be cut to allow the case to lie upon the door.

My invention consists in a vertical or nearly vertical case, containing a weight that is attached to the chain, in combination with a mouth-piece that forms a guide to the chain and a stop to the weight, so that the chain can be drawn partly out of the case and hooked across to the door, and as the door is opened the safety-chain will be drawn out of the case until its movement is stopped by the weight coming into contact with the mouth-piece.

When not in use the chain is drawn into the case, and is entirely out of sight, and the surface of the door or of the casin g is not in any manner injured by the chain.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is an elevation of the case and chain, the former being partially in section; and Fig. 2 is a plan of the door-check.

The chain a is of any desired character, and the weight I) is fastened to one end. The chain passes through the flaring mouth-piece c, that is securely fastened to the door, or to the door frame or casing, by lugs and screws, and the opening of such month is not large enough for the weight to pass through the same; hence the month-piece forms a stop to the weight.

The weight-case f is of suitable material, such as a round, square, or polygonal tube of brass or sheet metal, or a three-sided trough. In either instance the case is held at its upper end by the mouth-piece c, and at its lower end by the bracket piece or plate h or the case' may be cast in one piece with the mouth of malleable iron or other suitable metal, there being a stop for the weight.

At the free end of the chain a there is a knob or head, I, that is adapted to fasten into the catch or nosing m upon the moving part of the door. These parts may be of any usual or desired character, such, for instance, as a knob, acorn, cross-bar, or snap-hook, at the end of the chain, to connect with a slotted keeper, a ring, or a stud upon the door.

The advantage of the chain being incased when not in use will be apparent, as there is nothing loose to swing and injure the door. The check is very strong and reliable, and, as the door is closed and the check disconnected from its keeper, the chain is drawn again into the case by the weight.

By the term chain I mean any suitable connecting device, such as a chain, wire-rope, or flexible strip, and I contemplate to employ any suitable size or character of links or of strands or strips.

I am aware that hitching-posts and a variety of other articles have been made tubular to contain a weight and a chain passing out through an opening. None of these devices are adapted to use as a door-chain.

In my device provision is made for attaching the weight-case to the door.

I claim as my invention- A door check or fastening-chain provided with a weight at one end, in combination with the mouth or stop piece through which the chain passes, the vertical case containing the Weight, and provided with lugs for securing said casein position, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this 18th day of March, A. l). 1878.

THOS. F. STEVENSON.

\Vitnesses GEo. T. PINCKNEY, WILLIAM G. Morr. 

